Floods kill dozens in eastern India

From Neha Sharma for CNN

Updated 2022 GMT (0322 HKT) October 26, 2013

Flooding in India12 photos

Flooding in India – An Indian rickshaw puller covered with plastic walks through a street during the heavy rains in Kolkata, India, on Saturday, October 26. Earlier this month, a cyclone struck the eastern coast and is now involved with mass flooding that has forced thousands to flee their homes and seek refuge in shelters.

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Flooding in India12 photos

Flooding in India – Indian rickshaw pullers carry passengers through a flooded street in Kolkata on October 26.

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Flooding in India – A man bathes as villagers walk through floodwaters following heavy monsoon rain in the Hayat Nagar district on the outskirts of Hyderabad, India, on October 26.

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Flooding in India – Indian police officials pull a boat through water-logged streets as they ferry residents to a safer place in Kolkata on October 26.

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Flooding in India – People wade through a flood-damaged road on the outskirts of Hyderabad on October 26.

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Flooding in India – A villager carries an elderly man to safety after crossing floodwaters in Khurda district in the eastern Indian state of Orissa on Friday, October 25.

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Flooding in India – A resident walks through a flooded house following heavy rain in Saroornagar, a low lying area on the outskirts of Hyderabad on October 25.

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Flooding in India – Two villagers carry their bicycles and wade through floodwaters in Banapur village in the eastern Indian state of Orissa on October 25.

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Flooding in India – Rescue team members from the National Disaster Response Force load a chopper with rescue equipment in the Ganjam district of the eastern Indian state of Orissa on October 25.

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Flooding in India – Pedestrians wade on a flooded street following heavy rain in Saroornagar on October 25.

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Flooding in India – A child balances herself on dry area as she crosses a flooded street in Hyderabad on October 25.

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Flooding in India – Children play near a dry river bed after flood waters receded in Allahabad, India, on October 25.

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Story highlights

"The entire Delta area is completely inundated," an official says

Flooding led to the cancellation of a cricket match between India and Australia

Ganjam District was most heavily affected, with 85,000 people evacuated

Flash floods swept Saturday through the eastern Indian states of Odisha, where at least 19 people were killed, and Andhra Pradesh, where another 21 were killed, CNN-IBN reported.

"The flood water entered our village suddenly," one rescued villager told Reuters. "We tried to save our belongings but could not. At last we ran away to a safe place. Now the problem is we don't have food to eat and are staying under open sky."

But a local Puri government official, Madhusudhan Das, said help was under way.

"We have arranged for dry fruits and have also taken efforts for evacuation," he said. "We have arranged free kitchen for them. Tickets will be provided to them. We will give them house damage assistance. Houses have been damaged on a large scale. We are trying our level best to finish the huge amount of work within a week and we'll also provide them assistance for house damage."

In all, 13 districts in Odisha were affected, P.K. Mohapatra, special relief commissioner, said in a telephone interview.

Most affected was the Ganjam District, where 85,000 people were evacuated, he said.

"The situation is very grim as the entire Delta area is completely inundated," Guntur district Collector S Suresh Kumar told CNN's sister network. "Drains and tanks are overflowing and there is a threat of breaches occurring at some places because of the nonstop rain."

Flooding led officials to cancel the fifth of a planned series of seven One Day International cricket matches between India and Australia.